I am acquiring a leasehold flat in Watnall. My Conveyancer is not listed on the lender approved list. Can I still continue with my Watnall conveyancing solicitor even though they are not on the bank panel?

You have numerous choices available to you here

• Complete the deal with your preferred Watnall property lawyer but your bank will undoubtedly retain a conveyancing practitioner from their conveyancing panel. This will result in additional fees and potential delay.
• Choose a fresh lawyer to act in the purchase, obviously checking they are on the bank conveyancing panel.
• Convince your conveyancing practitioner to attempt to join the lender panel

Having sold my house in Watnall last January but our buyer keeps calling daily to say their conveyancer is waiting to hear from mysolicitor. What are the post completion sale formalities following completion?

Following your sale your lawyer should forward the transfer documentation and all additional paperwork to the purchaser's conveyancer. Depending on the transaction, your solicitor should also confirm that the home loan has been redeemed to the buyers solicitors. There are no post completion steps just for conveyancing in Watnall.

Can I be sure that the Watnall conveyancing solicitor on the HSBC panel is any good?

When it comes to conveyancing in Watnall obtaining recommendations is a sensible start. Before you go ahead, check if they offer a no sale no fee offer. Also, you often get what you pay for - a firm which quotes more, will often provide a better service than one which is cheap as chips. We would always advocate that you speak with the solicitor conducting your transaction.

I have a mortgage with Lloyds for my property in Watnall. Conveyancing has been completed some time ago. Should I wish to rent out my property and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a BTL mortgage or inform Lloyds?

You must advise Lloyds prior to letting out your property as this is likely to be a breach of Lloyds’s mortgage conditions. It may be that Lloyds will permit you to let out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact Lloyds directly. It should not be necessary to do this via a Lloyds conveyancing panel solicitor.

After months of negotiation I have agreed a price on a house in Watnall. My financial adviser pressured me to appoint their property lawyer. I paid an upfront payment of £225. A couple of days later, the conveyancer contacted me embarrassingly acknowledging that they were not on the Principality conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?

You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Principality panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.

How does conveyancing in Watnall differ for new build properties?

Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Watnall come to us having been asked by the housebuilder to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the property is finished. This is because builders in Watnall usually acquire the land, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancers as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are used to new build conveyancing in Watnall or who has acted in the same development.

Is there a distinction between surveying and conveyancing in Watnall?

Conveyancing - in Watnall or elsewhere - is the process of legally transferring legal title of property from one person to another. It therefore includes the investigation of the title. Whether buying or selling, you should be aware of anything affecting the property such as proposals by government departments, illegal buildings, or outstanding rates. The conveyancer should conduct the appropriate searches and inquiries on the property. Surveying relates to the structure of a property itself. A surveyor will look at a house, flat and any outbuildings you are buying and will help you discover the condition of the building and, if there are problems, give you a powerful reason for negotiating the purchase price down or asking the seller to fix the defects before you complete your move.